Many people say they know the best method for learning a new language. They have all kinds of fancy jargon and neat methods to try to get you to learn a new language. And you may make some progress, which is great news! But then slowly you stop doing it. You don’t maintain the learning habit and your skills slowly drop off. You try to come back weeks later, only to find you’ve forgotten so much.
This is the downside of all the traditional methods of learning. So let’s forget memorizing a language. Forget fancy spaced repetition systems. Even forget immersion language learning. Let’s try something neuvo! It’s called the absorbtion method.
Some people call it a natural approach to language learning, but I like to think of it as an enjoyable approach. The idea of this new método (method) is to slowly incorporate words in a new language into your everday reading.
Can I learn a language by absorbing yet?
Si! Yes! You can learn a new language just by absorbing it. It’s possible to learn a whole new language by reading stories and papers in your current language. Doesn’t that sound crazy? Well, let’s take a step back.
Do you like reading? I think most people like reading. Many people love reading. Novels can help us escape the challenges of our daily lives. It’s certainly a healthier escape than, say, scrolling on social media all day long. We can enjoy fictional worlds of fantasy and fun, or we can read enjoyable scary stories that keep us on our feet and titilate the senses. These are way people love to read.
So if you like reading, wouldn’t that be a natural way to learn a nuevo language? The new language can be slowly incorporated in your learning so that you experience new words just like a native speaker might have encountered them in books and newspapers.
Imagine a child learning a nuevo word, not knowing how to say it. Well they could learn this nuevo (new) word by asking their parents what it means, or they could guess from context. It’s this guessing from context that we start doing internally, subtly, from an early age, and is where most of our language knowledge comes from. We’re not actually actively taught most of our language skills.
Do you think it es posiblay? I think it es posiblay to learn a language by inserting new words into your existing reading. Here was an example! Es posiblay is Spanish for “is possible”.
Of course, somethings can’t be just absorbed without combining audio with the learning. Going back to my example, es posiblay is spelled wrong. In Spanish it would be spelled es posible. But you can see that the “le” is pronounced like “lay” in “lay down” and not like the “le” in “horrible”.
Oh, by the way, horrible in Spanish is pronounced “ho-ree-bleh” (though the “h” is somewhat quiet).
Why does the absorbtion language learning method work?
It works because it follows the natural way our brains learn language. Our brains are wired to absorb language based on context and repetition, not through rote memorization. The absorption method allows for new vocabulary to be assimilated into your everyday language, making it easier to remember and use in real-life situations.
Additionally, reading is a low-pressure way to practice a new language because you can take your time and always refer back to what you’ve read. With practice, the words and phrases you’ve absorbed through reading will begin to come more naturally to you.
The absorbtion method is an exciting and enjoyable way to learn a nuevo language without the pressure of traditional language learning methods, making it accessible to anyone who enjoys reading. So, pick up a book in your nuevo language of choice and start absorbing! Who knows, you may become a fluent speaker sooner than you ever imagined.